US carries out airstrikes in southern Iran amid Qatar peace talks

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that US forces had carried out strikes against a number of targets in southern Iran. The operation occurred at the same time as top Iranian negotiators were in Qatar for talks aimed at reaching a peace agreement with the Washington administration.

CENTCOM spokesperson Rear Admiral Tim Hawkins said the strikes were “defensive” in nature, intended to protect US troops from threats posed by Iranian forces. “The targets included missile launchers and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines,” Hawkins said in a statement released to Al Jazeera late Monday.

“CENTCOM continues to protect our forces while demonstrating restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” Hawkins stressed. CENTCOM has not yet released additional details about the airstrikes.